


In The Small Town Of McKinley

by ruby_soldiers



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-05-28 16:26:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6336112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruby_soldiers/pseuds/ruby_soldiers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Skye, a teenage farm girl from the small town of McKinley, Kansas, feels absolutely trapped by the tiny city. When a mysterious yet handsome stranger (Ward) comes to work on her father's farm, what will happen when a connection sparks between them? Skyeward and future Fitzsimmons *LONG SINCE DISCONTINUED*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of SHIELD or any of it's characters, although I wish I owned a monkey...and the Fitz that comes with it

“Skye. Skye get up or your dad will kill you when he realizes you aren’t ready to greet the new guy.”

Skye grumbled. She was not a morning person. Growing up in her small town didn’t help. Most families like hers were farmers, which meant that summer was filled with awakenings at dawn. And those damn roosters outside didn’t help. Her dad always laughed at her when she’d storm downstairs, swearing and cursing like a sailor, saying she was going to grab his gun and shoot them all.

When it was clear to Jemma that her best friend was not going to get out of bed, she decided to take extreme measures, knowing that, with Skye, it was necessary. She grabbed the vase of flowers from Skye’s nightstand, a gift from her dad for her recent 17th birthday. She went to tip it over Skye’s face when Skye’s hand shot out before a drop was spilled.

“I’m up. I’m up. Gosh, girl. You’re worse than the roosters.” “You’re dad put me in charge of getting you up to show the new farm hand around,” Jemma said.

“Why can’t you do it?” she asked, flopping back onto her pillows, staring up at the ceiling.

“Because I don’t live here. You do. I’m just the best friend,” she replied, setting down the vase.

This was true. When her dad told her 10 years ago that a British family had moved to town and taken over McKinley's only supermarket Skye didn’t think she’d like them very much. Then again, she’d never been very far outside of McKinley so her image of any English person was mainly full of tea and crumpets and overall stuck-upness. But their friendship quickly blossomed and they stuck together for a whole decade. On Skye’s 17th birthday they made a toast: to ten years and counting.

Skye wriggled out of bed. “I just don’t see why he had to come so early,” she grumbled.

“Hey, cheer up,” Jemma began, “he’s new, which so rarely happens in McKinley. He’s our age, so when school starts back up again the 2 months he'll be in our grade. And, I have high hopes that he’ll be cute.”

“Yeah, yeah. Positive attitude. We have the universe in our corner,” Skye said sarcastically as she held up two shirts in each of her hands. “Now, turquoise or violet?”

Jemma grinned. “Well, if he is cute, which he will be, we’ve got to dress to impress. I always thought you looked best in purple.”

***~*~***

Jemma was wrong. He wasn’t cute. He was hot.

He pulled up in a shiney black sedan, a car much too pretty for a farm town. Oddly, Skye realized, she could say the same thing about him. He was the most handsome young man she’d ever seen that wasn’t on the television.

“Oh. My. God,” Jemma said quietly enough so only Skye would hear her. “Dibs!”

Skye cursed under her breath. But when he was close enough Skye realized she should probably greet him, not just stand there looking dumbfounded.

“Hi there,” she said with a smile even though she mentally smacked herself. _Hi there? Really?_

“Hello,” was all he said giving the girls a curt nod.

“Umm...remind me again of your name?” said Skye, feeling stupid for suddenly forgetting.

“Grant Ward. Most everyone calls me Ward,” he said.

“Well Ward, I’m Skye. Welcome to Coulson farm. My dad, Phil, is in the field at the moment and told me to show you around.”

He gave a small grin, which was the most emotion he had openly showed since he arrived.

Jemma nudged Skye’s shoulder with her own, silently telling her something.

“Oh, and this is my best friend Jemma. You’ll see a lot of her around here,” Skye quickly added.

Jemma beamed at him and gave a small, friendly wave. He extended one of his hands toward her. Jemma took it and as they shook hands he said, “It’s nice to meet you.”

The three of them stood there for a moment of awkward silence in front of the white farmhouse. Jemma cleared her throat.

“So, um, the hens are in this direction, right Skye?”

Suddenly brought out of her daze she nodded and said, “Yes, right this way.”

She walked away so quickly that she only vaguely heard Ward asking Jemma about her accent as they rushed after her.

“What’s a Brit doing in McKinley, Kansas?” he inquired.

She explained to him why she had moved here, something she didn’t like doing very much because she had to do it so often.

Skye proceeded to show him the chicken coop, an area which he would not be spending very much time in seeing as how, besides the early morning wake-ups, Skye really liked the chickens and she was the one who took care of them the most.

“Here on the farm we grow three different crops. There’s wheat, corn, and my personal favorite: sunflowers,” Skye told him. “Now, can you operate a tractor, backhoe, or anything along those lines?”

“Uh, no,” Grant replied.

“Alright city slicker, time to learn something new,” Skye said as Jemma rolled her eyes.

They were approaching Skye’s old, green John Deere tractor when Ward noticed something odd.

“Is there a cowbell attached to your tractor?” he asked, slight laughter in his tone.

“There is indeed. This is Bessie,” Skye said with a mischievous grin, patting the side of the old machine.

She taught him how to start it up and drive it properly. As a practice run she had him drive himself, Skye, and Jemma (who were both hanging on for dear life) down to the corn fields where Skye’s dad Phil was watching the irrigation system water the rows and rows of corn.

When Phil saw the three of them advancing down the road he grinned and yelled in a surprised tone, “He can drive that thing? He’s a New Yorker!”

That sparked Skye’s interest. He was from New York. Or maybe even better yet, Manhattan. But Skye stayed quiet. That was a secret only Jemma knew.

“He does now!” Skye said when they were stopped. She leaned forward to tug the key out of the ignition, her shoulder touching Ward’s. He suddenly went still and wouldn’t look at her until she jumped down from where she’d been hanging on from and walked over to her father.

“Did you show him around?” Phil asked.

“You bet! He’s been acquainted with the hens and the goats, he’s seen the corn and wheat fields, now all that’s left are the sunflowers.”

Skye’s dad’s gaze fell upon Jemma. “How’d you get the mummy out of her tomb?”

 _Ugh, dad jokes._ Skye thought.

“I used the best threat possible. Water,” Jemma replied.

Skye heard a snicker behind her, presumably from Ward.

 _Just great_ , Skye thought, _He has an attitude._

“Well, Ward, I hope you like it here. You’ll be responsible for…” Phil’s voice trailed off as he and Ward walked away from the girls.

“Ummm...Bye?” Skye said as the boys walked off without saying farewell. Skye’s dad turned back and waved and Ward did another one of his nods and Skye could swear she saw him wink at her. Even the thought of it made her blush.

“This is going to be an interesting development,” Jemma said.

“Development of what?”

“Oh, please. Don’t think I didn’t see that wink too. Oh, and the crimson color of your cheeks!"

Skye sighed and they both giggled and hopped back onto Bessie.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of SHIELD or any of it's characters, although I wish I owned a monkey...and the Fitz that comes with it

_ Cock-a-doodle-doo _

 

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuggggggggghhhhh.”

 

It was the morning after she and Jemma had met Ward.  Skye rolled over in her bed to see her best friend in a sleeping bag on the floor next to her bed.  Jemma had an amazing talent of being able to sleep through most everything, something Skye could only wish for.  Skye gripped a pillow from her bed and swung it at the girl sleeping peacefully below her. 

 

“Ow! Skye!  Haven’t you ever heard of tapping someone’s shoulder?” Jemma yelled.

 

“Nope. We need to get up.  You’re boyfriend will be here soon.”

 

“Just because I have dibs doesn’t mean he’s going to date me.  And are you forgetting the wink he gave you yesterday?”

 

It was one of the first things Skye thought of when she woke up that morning besides “I swear I’m going to make chicken soup with those freaking birds”, but Skye didn’t mention it.

 

“Whatever.  We just need to get ready,” she said instead.

 

“Can I borrow your dark green top? It’s my favorite.” 

 

“What happened to ‘he’s probably not going to date me’?”  

 

“That doesn’t mean I won’t try!  He’s the hottest thing this town has ever seen and we need to get to him before school starts and somebody else does.”

 

Skye didn’t like the idea of McKinley’s princess, Raina Taylor,  using her charm and wit to cast her spell on Ward.  Sure, Raina wasn’t mean or anything and she had top grades and was super pretty.  It was hard to hate her, but that didn’t mean that Skye liked her either.

 

“Yeah, yeah. I’ve gotta go see my babies,” Skye said.

 

“Ew.  You know I hate it when you call them that!  They’re just chickens!”

 

“I know, so I make an extra effort to call then that, just for you,” Skye said with a smirk.

 

Jemma stuck her tongue out at her and proceed to rummage through Skye’s closet in search of the top. There was a firm knocking on the door and Skye, assuming it was her father, opened the door.  It was  _ not  _ Skye’s dad.

 

“Phil told me to-” Ward said and stopped abruptly while he looked up and down Skye.  She was in a tank top and fluffy pajama pants.  Her hair was a complete  _ disaster _ . 

 

“Woah,” was all he said.

 

Skye blushed a deep red that she could feel on her cheeks.  

 

She gave an awkward laugh. “Hehe, um, enjoying the view, Ward?”

 

“Maybe,” he said with a smirk, “Phil told me to get you guys up.  It’s nine.”

 

Leaving the door open, Skye walked back into her room where Jemma was literally jumping into a pair of jeans with Skye’s green top already on.  

 

“Oh!  Sweet Jesus!  Can’t you give me some warning before you let an attractive boy into the room!” Once Jemma realized what she said her hand shot straight up and covered her mouth. “Oh.”

 

Ward chuckled but Skye could’ve sworn his cheeks turned a little pink.

 

“Are you sure you don’t live here?” Ward asked Jemma.

 

“50% sure.  Mostly because I’m here 50% of the time,” the British girl replied.

 

“Anywho, we’ll be down in just a minute,”  Skye said looking up at Ward.

 

“I’ll be downstairs.  I’ll need the keys for the tractor,” he said.

 

“Bessie,” Skye corrected.

 

“Right, Bessie,”  Ward said with a chuckle.  

 

_ Oh god,   _ Skye thought,   _ he’s really  _ really  _ cute when he laughs. _

 

Ward exited the room without another word, closing the door behind him.

 

“Oh. My. God,” Jemma said. “Look at yourself!  How did you manage to look like that and not have him run away?  And could you not completely open the door when I’m only three quarters dressed?!”

 

“Yeah… Sorry about that.”

 

For a moment everything went black.  And then the world came back again.  Jemma had thrown a shirt at Skye that had hit her in the face.  Skye looked down at the pink shirt that had fallen from her face to her feet.

 

“This is my best shirt.  I can’t ruin my best shirt for some boy,” Skye said.

 

“Whatever.  Maybe we’ll just have to take him out this weekend so you can wear it then,” the other girl said.

 

Skye rolled her eyes.

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

“Catch,”  Skye said as she sped down the stairs, Jemma not far behind.

 

It was almost unnatural how quickly Ward’s hand shot up and enclosed around the keys to Bessie.  Skye’s eyebrows went up slightly in surprise. His reflexes were impressive.

 

“Can we hitch a ride on your way to the fields?  That is where you’re going, right?” Jemma asked,

 

“For a while.  Then Phil said to get Skye to teach me to care for Mr. Blake’s goats,”  Ward replied.

 

“All right, City Slicker, let’s get a move on, shall we?  The chickens will be missing me,” said Skye.

  
  


Ward leaned over close to Jemma and used a hand to cover his mouth to whisper in her ear.  Skye wasn’t sure if he had purposely meant for her to overhear but she did. “What’s the deal with the chickens?”  he asked.

 

Jemma, out loud said, “Who knows?”

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

“Move hun,” Skye said as she reached behind a hen, searching for eggs.  Jemma and Skye had hung onto Bessie while Ward drove.  He dropped them off and went on his way leaving the two girls to themselves.

 

“What did Ward whisper to you?” Skye said once they entered the chicken coop.  

 

“He asked about you and the chickens,” Jemma answered honestly.

 

“We have a connection!” Skye answered defensively.

 

“Yeah, a weird one,” the British girl said.

 

Skye only replied by rolling her eyes.

 

“Ward seems to be getting awfully comfortable with you…” Skye trailed off.

  
“Must be the lucky shirt,” Jemma said with a giggle and a wink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like to get ahead you can find the most recent updates of this story on both Fanfiction and Wattpad. Love you guys, many or few.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boop. Hi there. So, new chapter. Yep. This is a really awkward intro. I’m just leave now…
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of SHIELD or any of it's characters, although I wish I owned a monkey...and the Fitz that comes with it

“So then you get the alfalfa and put it in here, make sure it doesn’t touch the ground or it’ll get moldy. Mold equals bad. Got it?” Skye asked Ward to make sure that he listening.  It was around 4pm and her father had apparently told Ward that Skye was in charge of teaching the new boy about some of his new responsibilities. Skye wasn’t sure if she was excited about spending more time with the handsome man, or exceedingly nervous. He was mysterious and closed off, as if he had something to hide.

 

“Got it. Mold is bad, don’t want dead goats,” Ward said sarcastically.

 

“You betcha. And if one dies on your watch I’ll I’m doing is handing you a shovel.”

 

“Gross,” he said and Skye could’ve sworn she saw his lips turn up slightly. Not that she was staring at his lips…very much...

 

“You’ve covered everything, haven’t you?  Shall we move on to Mr. Blake’s farm?”

 

“Yes,” Skye said. “Umm, there’s just one thing.”

 

“And what would that be?” Ward inquired.

 

“Is there any chance we could take your car?  It’s about ¾ mile from here and it’s like 100 degrees outside. Please! My dad’s truck doesn’t even have AC! ( **Ya see what I did there? ;)** )

 

“I suppose we can.  Do you mind if I pick it up a bit first?” 

 

“As quickly as you can, City Boy, or I might just boil right here and you’ll have to use that shovel on me.”

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

When they approached Ward’s car the boy next to her started walking a little faster.  She stopped a few feet away from the sedan’s trunk. Skye wasn’t sure what he meant to clean up and her curiosity got the best for her. She leaned slightly to see Ward shuffling around in his car with his rear end sticking out of the passenger side door. Skye saw him pull out several papers and shove them into the glove box. They didn’t look like car registration papers, from what Skye could tell. One of the papers looked like a picture, though Skye didn’t get a clear look at it.

 

“You done in there?” Skye called out.

 

“Just about,” Ward said with strain in his voice. He was so tall that when he went to stand upright, he smacked his head on the roof of his car. 

 

It took all of Skye’s might not to laugh uncontrollably. Here was this tall, tough, serious guy who couldn’t get out of his own car without dinging up his head.  What a  _ derp _ .

 

“Ah, ow. Okay, hop in,” he said.

 

The pair of them drove down to the neighbor’s farm with Skye directing the attractive boy next to her down the old dirt road.  They rode together in silence. Skye wasn’t sure if it was a comfortable silence or an awkward one. All Skye knew was that is was dead quiet, something Skye didn’t handle very well.

 

“So, um, my dad tells me you’re from New York?”

 

“Does he?” was all he said.

 

“Uh, yeah. He does,” Skye said. “Assuming that’s true, what part of New York did you live in?”

 

“Manhattan, Upper East Side.”

 

Skye contained her many other questions.  Manhattan!  Skye would never tell her father about her dreams to live there some day, she couldn’t.  He believed that she was happy in itty bitty McKinley, and she planned to keep it that way.  But she wanted to live in the city more than anything, though she knew it was unrealistic.  But perhaps with the connections Ward could give her it would make her possible future move a little easier.

 

“Why did you move?” Skye asked.

 

“Family problems. I’m emancipated,” Ward said and didn’t go in any further.  “We’re here.”

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

“This is Taffy, Baxter, Frodo, Quasar, and Onyx,” Skye said as she introduced Ward to Mr. Blake’s horses.

 

“Frodo?”

 

“Hey, I named that one. Don’t judge.”

 

“Oh, no. Frodo is a perfectly acceptable name for a horse,” Ward said, sarcasm practically dripping from his words.

 

Skye rolled her eyes and walked towards the stables where the horses usually stay, gesturing for Ward to follow. They walked side by side, their hands brushing slightly causing Skye cheeks to turn a light pink.

 

“You might have to do some acrobatics to get to the hay,” Skye said as they approached the barn, ”For some reason old man Blake stores all of it up here.  I’ve tried to deter him but he insists.”

 

Skye showed Ward where to climb and began scaling up the old wooden walls.

 

“I usually put my foot on this bucket here for starters but don’t think it will hold your weight.  Try that saddle stand?” Skye said.

 

He did as Skye told him and they began climbing up the the barn’s attic together. Ward’s eyes widened slightly as Skye practically jumped from one object to the next.  It was like watching a crazed chimpanzee swinging through the jungle.  Once Skye reached the top she plopped down on a hay bale and waited. And waited.  And continued to wait until, about 5 minutes later, Ward crawled through the small hatch and rolled on the wooden floor.  

 

“What took you so long?”

 

“A.) I fell twice. B.) Doesn’t the man own a ladder?!”

 

“Of course he does but it’s not tall enough.  Come, sit.  We’ll rest.”

 

Ward did sit but not where she gestured him to.  He sat on the opposite side of the room on the tough ground instead of on her side where the softer hay bales lay.  Did he really not want to sit with her that much?

 

Ward eyebrows suddenly furrowed. “Wait, how do we even get the food down to the horses?”

 

“Simple,” Skye said. “We push them through here.”

 

Skye then stood up and walked over to what Ward thought to just be one of the four walls of the room. She gently pushed on part of it and it swung open, a window of sorts that was nearly invisible. It stretched from the attic’s floor to almost its ceiling.  Skye then turned back towards Ward and took one step backwards.

 

And fell.

 

Skye had never been on a plane. She had never understood the feeling of flying, and she got a brief taste of it in that moment.  She could feel her hair fly upwards. She could feel the fall in her gut. The fall should’ve broken her leg at least.

 

But it didn’t. Her descent was cut short sharply by a firm grip on her wrist. A sharp wave pain slammed into her shoulder. 

 

“Agh!” she cried out.  She glanced up to see Ward with his torso hanging out of the barn’s window both hands on Skye’s one wrist. He had saved her.

 

“Skye, can you give me your other hand?” He asked is a voice that was surprisingly not very strained. He could almost easily hold her weight, even at this angle.

 

“My shoulder!” Skye said, “I think it’s dislocated!”

 

“We’ll deal with that later, Skye. Give me your hand!”

 

The pain in her shoulder was immense and pulsating but she ignored it.  She swung her other arm up, despite the pain it created, and Ward gripped it tightly. As he began to pull her up slowly their eyes met. She then saw something she hadn’t ever seen in those eyes before. Skye wasn’t entirely sure what that was but it was entirely different from the Ward that she knew.  The look was almost  _ gallant _ .

 

Ward was using most if not all of his strength to lift her and once she was close enough, pulled her quickly upwards to safety. Which resulted in Skye being pulled up so far that she fell onto Ward.

 

They both laid there a moment, both of them breathing heavily from the sudden burst and loss of adrenaline. When Skye’s drooped head finally lifted she realized where she was. She was  _ on  _ Ward. He was on his back, his arm was draped over his eyes, obviously exhausted.  They were in sort of an “X” position with Skye laying across Ward’s stomach, facing the ground.  Things got even worse when Ward decided (stupidly in Skye’s mind) that he should sit up.  This caused Skye to roll into his lap and flip her over so that she was looking at the ceiling.

 

But it wasn’t the ceiling she was looking at. She was looking into Ward’s seemingly endless brown eyes, and they were staring back at her.

 

“Hi,” was all Skye said.

 

“Hi,” he said and broke into a grin. A real, full smile that Skye couldn’t get enough of. 

 

He leaned down then, his face so very,  _ very _ close hers. Their breath mingled and Skye could smell the scent of his sweat and soap. Their lips were only inches apart, but Skye decided they were much too far away.  She began to arch her back so that her lips would meet his.

 

But they didn’t.  To her dismay, Ward sat straight up suddenly.  Skye was left flushed in his wake.  She felt stupid.  _ Of course  _ he wouldn’t want to kiss her.  She shouldn’t have been so foolish.

 

She sat up as well, mostly to get out of the awkward position of being in Ward’s lap.  Once the moment was fleeting and gone, the pain in her shoulder returned to greet her. Skye winced.

 

“C’mon,” Ward said standing up and offering his hand to her, “Let’s get out of here.”

 

She took it with her good arm gratefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hai. Sorry parts of this chapter weren’t really well written. I don’t really have an excuse for it, it just sucks. Well, anywho I hope you enjoyed despite it. Leave some kudos for my birthday tomorrow?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4! We made it! It’s not my best chapter, mostly a filler. Sorry, but I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of SHIELD or any of it's characters, although I wish I owned a monkey...and the Fitz that comes with it

They were in the Coulson’s family room. Skye was sitting in one of the chairs from the kitchen that Phil had dragged over for her to sit in.  She was surrounded by four people, Dr. Franklin Hall, Skye’s dad, Ward, and Jemma.  Dr. Hall didn’t usually take house calls but he and Skye’s dad were long time friends.  

 

“All right.  This might hurt but just for a moment,” the doctor said.  Franklin had both of his hands on Skye’s left arm.  He made a precise sort of jerking movement.  A bright pain brought itself to Skye’s attention and she made a small noise but tried to contain it.  Then it all went away and she was in sweet bliss.

 

“Aahhh,” she practically moaned.

 

“I just still can’t believe I wasn’t there!” Jemma chimed in her British voice.

 

“C’mon, Jemma, we all know why you weren’t there,” Skye said as the doctor told her to go easy on her shoulder and how much she should lift with that arm and to take some anti inflammatories.  She was only half listening.

 

“What’s she talking about?” Ward asked Jemma.

 

“Oh, it’s nothing, nothing at all!” She said just a bit too quickly.  Ward turned towards Skye for explanation.

 

“She’s afraid of horses.  And cows.  And really anything with hooves,” Skye said matter-of-factly.

 

“I. Am. Not!” she said. 

 

Ward and Skye shared a look that basically said “Uh huh. Riiiiiight”.  Skye giggled and then was taken aback.  Skye did  _ not _ , whatsoever, giggle.  Ward seemed to bring things like that out of her, which was odd seeing as how he was such a closed off person.

 

“What’s wrong with cows and horses?” Ward asked.

 

“They’re just so...so...disgusting.  They’re filthy beasts that are all covered in flies and overall nastiness,” Jemma said in a proud and defensive voice.

 

“They’re just animals, Jemma!  Just like you and me!” Skye said.

 

“We are apes and they are savages!”

  
  


Skye exchanged a knowing look with the the tall boy next to her, her shoulder and the two older men both forgotten in the next room as the three teenagers walked outside onto the front porch.  

 

“You can take the girl out of Britain,” Skye began, “ But you can’t take Britain out of the girl.”

 

They stood there the three of them, all leaning against the porch railing looking out onto the horizon like they were old friends who did this every night as the sun set.  Skye felt oddly at home among the group.

 

It was then that Skye realized that she’d forgotten something rather important. "Thank you, Ward, for saving me today."

 

"You're welcome," he said, "but I can't see how you can be thanking me at all. I mean, I dislocated your shoulder!"

 

"You saved me from far worse injuries," said Skye.

 

Ward began to protest once more when Jemma said, "Oh, shut and and take the compliment, will you?"

 

Ward just chuckled and didn't say anything more.

 

"Ooh! Skye, we should watch this sunset from the clubhouse!" Jemma said excitedly.

 

Skye glared at her, practically staring daggers. She was not planning on showing Ward their secret hideout and it was no use trying to hide it now, with the fiercely determined look in Jemma’s eye.

 

The dark haired boy looked down at Skye expectantly.

 

“Ugh, c’mon.  We’ll show you,” she said reluctantly.

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

They had all filed into Phil’s truck and went down the old dirt road that ran through the family farm.  They rode for about 5 minutes with everyone saying very little until they reached the sunflower fields.  Skye jumped out of the truck and slammed the door with a hard slump.  She didn’t want to show Ward their secret place.  The only other person that knew about it was Skye’s dad and even he had never been inside.  

 

It had started when they were 8 years old.  They were wandering about the farm when they found it, an ancient shed made of aging wood in the middle of the field.  The door had been halfway off it’s hinges and there had actually been a rat living in there for quite sometime.  It had of course scared off Jemma but Skye wasn’t so easily deterred.  She chased the damned thing out of there and they had made the place their own.  It was an understatement to say they had made a few renovations in the past years.

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

Skye walked the few feet they were away from the yellow flowers and disappeared into plants.  Ward looked at Jemma in question but she was already following her best friend.  He shrugged and went in pursuit of the two girls.

 

He traveled almost blindly as the two girls followed their long remembered path that Ward was unfamiliar to.  His vision was swirled with yellow and dark green as he struggled through the field and the fact that the light was fading did not help.

 

“Hurry up!  It’s almost gone!” he heard someone say, presumably Jemma due to the voice’s British ring.

 

And that’s when he saw it.  It was small sure, about half the size of a bedroom but wow was it pretty.  As Ward ducked his head so he didn’t hit the doorway he realized he didn’t quite fit and had to crane his neck slightly to walk around.  Christmas lights were strung along the edges of the ceiling, a beanbag chair snug in a corner.  A small chair sat opposite of the beanbag chair and it was obvious to Ward that this place was meant for two.  Pictures of the two best friends covered all of the walls, among pictures of scenery and and a small map of the globe, pins covering it.  He didn’t pay much attention to it because both the girls were heading up a ladder that lead to a small square hole in the ceiling.  He had no choice but to follow.

 

What he found was breathtaking.  The clubhouse was tall enough to just reach the top of the sunflowers.  Being level with them made it seem like there was an almost endless carpet of the yellow flowers.  The sun was almost gone now, the large yellow disk dipping over the horizon but it had a lasting effect on the sky.  Colors of vibrant oranges and pale pinks painted the evening sky. 

 

“Wow,” Ward said breathlessly.

 

Skye look up at him with a smile, her earlier foul mood forgotten, and said,”It’s pretty great, huh?”

 

Before he could answer Jemma brought out her phone saying, “Picture time!  You’re first day and Skye’s already done something stupid!”

 

They all just laughed as Jemma raised her phone up high, capturing them all in a selfie.

 

“Perfect!” Jemma said, “We’ll have to put that one on the wall.”

 

Ward blushed slightly.  He had done nothing at all to earn their friendship but here they were taking selfies at sunset.  It felt odd to be shoved into their little family on day one and be accepted like he was there the whole time.

 

The energy that came along with catching the last rays of light winded down and they walked back towards the truck at a leisurely pace.  They hopped into the truck, making Ward drive this time because both of the girls insisted that he be a gentleman and do so.  Their giggles made Ward think they were just lazy.

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

Without Skye almost falling out of the barn, the next day felt almost rhythmic.  They all did their chores, Ward starting out with Phil in the morning and with Skye and Jemma in the afternoon.  Skye felt almost like this new mysterious stranger was one of the pieces Skye needed in her life that she didn’t even know was missing.  It was odd how well he fit into the Coulson family (Jemma included since she practically lived there.)  They were all smiles, jokes, and laughs while he was all scowls and serious faces but he fit in well, the longer he was there the more smiles, jokes, and laughs came out of him.  Maybe they just had that effect on people but Skye didn’t think so.  She thought this was the real Grant Ward, the one underneath.

 

And them Jemma had to go and ruin it.

 

“We should all go to a movie or something this weekend!”  she exclaimed after Ward had left on Thursday.

 

Skye looked at her startled. “What?”

 

“A movie.  Us three.  Saturday,” she repeated.

 

“Are you already trying to chase him away?  We’ve known him for less than a week!” Skye exclaimed.

 

Jemma threw her hand up to her chest in mock offense.  “I happen to think it’s an excellent idea.”

 

“You can ask him but at least make it seem like I had no idea.  I don’t want to be part of the rejection.”

  
Simmons only stuck out her tongue at her best friend and they went back to their small tasks.  Skye was hopeful that Ward would say yes, but she wouldn’t never admit that to Jemma.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You get two chapters toady because I love y'all, and it's my birthday
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of SHIELD or any of it's characters, although I wish I owned a monkey...and the Fitz that comes with it

“Have you been to the McKinley movie theatre?”  Jemma inquired the next day, Friday.

 

Ward looked down, puzzled by her question.  Was Jemma asking him on a  _ date _ ?

 

“Uh no.  I’ve only been here for like a week and most of my time is spent with you guys on the farm,” he responded.

 

They were sitting around in the living room together, a Monopoly board on the coffee table in the center of them.  Ward was trying to contain his enthusiasm.  He really loved board games but didn’t have time for them during his legal battle to become emancipated and hadn’t bought any for himself yet.  He was almost giddy when Skye took them around the back of the white house and into a really old wooden shed with peeling paint.  It absolutely  _ reeked  _ in there and none of them could decipher the source of the smell but Ward almost didn’t care about the smell due to what the shed contained. There were stacks upon stacks of board games, some popular and some he had never heard of.  He liked the challenge of strategy they provided, and he liked winning even more.

 

He unfortunately was not winning this time.  The girl who was winning, Jemma, who was surprisingly more intelligent than he initially thought, said,”We should all go this weekend.  Do you want to see Jurassic World with me and Skye tomorrow?”

 

Ward sighed a sigh of relief inwardly.  It wasn’t a date.  It wasn’t that Jemma wasn’t pretty or smart or anything, but he felt no connection towards her.

 

He looked up and smiled slightly and said, ”Sounds great.”

 

Jemma shot Skye a triumphant look, who had been silent since Jemma had brought up the movie subject.  Ward couldn’t tell what the look meant exactly but he could at least tell that they had definitely talked about this beforehand.  Skye gave her best friend a look that didn’t look all too friendly.  His eyes jumped back and forth between the two girls, who he could swear were communicating without any words at all.  Maybe they were just that close.

 

Ward cleared his throat. “Uh, Skye.  It’s your turn.”

 

Skye look at him with the same look she was giving Jemma a moment earlier and he just hoped she wasn’t going to attack him.  Not breaking their eye contact, she reached out and grabbed the dice and then let them roll out of her palm onto the board.  Ward glanced down briefly to see what number she rolled, not wanting to miss a moment of the chocolate brown that was staring into his soul.

 

“Seven.”

 

She wouldn’t leave his gaze as she moved her silver top hat to where it needed to be.  She finally looked down to see where she landed and Ward felt like he was just shaken awake from a blurry haze, which was almost true.

 

“Vermont Avenue.  I’ll take it,” she said.

 

She handed Ward, the banker, the appropriate amount of money but when their hands brushed just slightly he felt a burst of warm heat blossom there and shoot it’s way up his arm.  Besides shivering a bit, Skye gave no indication that she felt anything similar.

 

“Perfect,” Jemma said, entirely unaware about Ward’s feelings.  “We’ll meet you at six?  Maybe we can grab a late dinner afterwards?”

 

Ward lived a little ways up the street, which was actually was few miles away but everything in McKinley was so far apart.  Ward hadn’t seen much of the central part of the city and this would be a good excuse.

 

“Sounds like a plan.”

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

Skye thought the movie was pretty good.  It was awfully hard to pay attention though, with Ward sitting next to her.  She was still somewhat stunned by the volts of electricity that darted through her body by the simple contact of their skin.  She caught herself trying to sneak glances at him during the film.  She was even more startled by the fact that occasionally he was looking back at her.  And no, their hands didn’t meet while they were both reaching for popcorn.  Nothing happened and Skye was glad.  Judging by how Ward reacted when she leaned up to kiss him, he didn’t feel anything for her at all.   She wasn’t going to embarrass herself again.

 

They were walking out of the theatre when it happened.  Skye’s  _ exponential _ amount of grace came to show itself.

 

She tripped.  The cold soda in her hand flew up into the air.

 

And spilled all over Ward.

 

“What the-” he began, turning around to see Skye on the ground and the wet back of his shirt.

 

Jemma stared for a few seconds and burst out laughing.  She tried not to but even her pitiful state could keep her from laughing at Ward’s wet back...and some other places.

 

Ward was less amused.  He sighed and kept walking, saying, “C’mon on you morons.  We’ll stop by my place so I can get a change of clothes.”

 

Jemma helped Skye up and they both tried to contain their giggles.  Ward didn’t laugh, but she did see the smallest hint of a smile.

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

Jemma and Skye’s eyes met when they drove up to Ward’s apartment building.  It was McKinley’s only apartment building, and everyone thought that no one lived there anymore.  The rundown brick building had a bowing roof and only three floors.  Almost half the windows were broken and the other half were yellowed with age.

 

“Stay here,” Ward told them, getting out of the driver’s seat and not looking at either of them.

 

As soon as the door slammed behind him Skye turned to her best friend.

 

“We should follow him,” Skye said.

 

Jemma’s eyes widened and she said, “I want to see him half naked as much as the next girl but I don’t think this is the way to see him shirtless.”

 

“No, I want to see his house.  He can’t be living anywhere nice if he lives in this building.”

 

Jemma looked sceptical but opened her door.  They closed the door as quietly as they could and followed Ward through the door they saw him enter through.  They pursued him to the second floor.  They peered down the hallway, Jemma’s head underneath Skye’s in a comical fashion.  Once Ward used his keys to open the door to his apartment and entered through it, Skye ran.  When she got close enough to the door she shot her leg out.  Her foot caught in the door before it could close and she opened it, daring to face what she suspected was in there.

 

Ward was waiting for her, arms crossed over his chest with a disapproving look.  Skye looked around.  The tacky wallpaper was dingy on the edges and peeling off the wall.  The bed that folded out of the wall hung out at a 45 degree angle.  The carpet was covered in stains of unknown origin.  Ward’s room was luckily one with a window in it but there was a large crack down the center.  The ceiling had odd yellowish-brown stains on it, like a upside down giant had spilled his coffee.

 

“Ward,” Jemma said, “You don’t really live here, do you?”

 

He sighed heavily and raked his hand through his dark hair.

 

“I didn’t have much money. I got nothing from my parents and I haven’t saved enough from the farm work.”

 

Skye looked at him sympathetically.  Then her idea hit her like a freight train.

 

“Move in with me!” she exclaimed.

 

He looked baffled.  “No, I’m perfectly fine living here.”

 

She scoffed and gestured towards the wall. “This wallpaper is older than my grandmother and tackier than my dad’s jokes.”

 

This got her a smile but he still look like a stubborn ox. “I’m not a charity case, Skye.”

 

“My dad won’t mind.  We have three extra rooms.  You can even pay him rent if you’d like, just until you can find a place.”

 

Ward glanced behind Skye’s shoulder at Jemma.  In her peripheral vision she could she the Brit give a thumbs up as her opinion of the idea.  He took a long look around the room and, almost as if the universe was sending a sign, a cockroach scurried across the floor.

 

He looked back at Skye and gave a thankful smile.  “I’ll get my things.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot twist. Yay! Yay? What do you think?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuugggghhh. It’s 3 am. Why am I writing at three am?! Oh yeah, I’m a nerd.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of SHIELD or any of it's characters, although I wish I owned a monkey...and the Fitz that comes with it

He was shirtless.

 

Skye understood the basics of them living together but she’d forgotten about this part.  It had seemingly slipped her mind how close Ward would be to her everyday.  For goodness sake he lived  _ just down the hall _ .

 

When Ward wandered into Skye’s room with only a pair of Levi’s on, she tried to keep her jaw from dropping.  Jemma unfortunately made no such precautions.

 

Her mouth gaped open in surprise and awe. Skye tried to keep her composure and said, "Uh, what's up?"

 

Ward almost lookeded shy. "I, uh, just wanted to thank you. For what you did yesterday."

 

Skye raised an eyebrow.  Was he really thanking her for simply getting him out of a rotting hell hole?

 

"Really.  I'm paying Phil the same amount of rent I paid there and let's just say my living conditions have improved," he said.

 

Skye stood up from where she and Jemma were sitting in the floor, writing their 7th summer bucket list.

 

"Awww.  Tough soldier's got a soft spot," she mocked.

 

He jokingly saluted her and left the room.  Skye looked back down at the all too silent Jemma sitting dumbfounded on Skye’s rug.  As she sat back down Skye reached a hand towards her friend's face and snapped to get her out of her 6-pack-induced daze.

 

"Oh, uh, did you say something?" she asked, shaking her head slightly.

 

"C'mon, we've got to finish this list.  We only have 3 things

  
  


Skye cast a sarcastic glance at Jemma, who knew about the million times Ward had thanked her in just 24 hours.

 

“For the last time, Ward: You’re welcome!” she exclaimed, wanting the immense gratitude to fizzle out all ready.

 

“Yeah, ha ha,” Ward laughed nervously.  “I was wondering, Skye, would you, uh…”

 

Skye raised an eyebrow when Ward turned a bright scarlet all the way down to his neck.  “Ward, are you okay?”

 

“Will you go on a date with me?” he blurted.

 

Jemma made a small squeaked and looked at Skye with wide eyes but she only saw it in her peripheral vision.  She didn’t break eye contact with the boy in front of her.   _ A date _ ?  If anything, Skye thought he had eyes for Jemma, not her.  She was so surprised by his question that she only realized how long she’d been staring when Ward cleared his throat.

 

“Uh, it’s fine.  Just...disregard that.  Nevermind,” he said quickly, turning around and began to escape down the hall to his room.

 

Skye made a fast decision and as she saw her opportunity walk away from her she yelled, “Ward, wait!”

 

Ward’s head popped into view inside the doorway, his eyebrows raised expectantly.

 

“A date sounds….wonderful.”

 

His face lit up with a brilliant smile and he proceeded to go back to his room.  Jemma ran up and slammed the door behind him.  She whipped back around to face Skye and covered her mouth as she squealed.

 

“I bestow my dibs on Grant Ward to you!” she exclaimed.

 

“What?”

 

Jemma sat down beside Skye and said, ”I have official dibs on Ward, remember?  I’m giving it up.”

 

“If that isn’t friendship, I don’t know what is,” Skye laughed.  “My gosh.  Where did that come from?   _ A date _ ?”

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

Okay, he was snooping.  Ward had his left ear pressed up against Skye’s bedroom door and was listens to his two friends talk about the verbal bomb he just dropped.  He wanted to know her reaction and when Jemma slammed the door behind him he knew that some girl talk was about to commence.

 

“...My gosh.  Where did that come from?   _ A date? _ ” this was Skye’s voice.

 

“I don’t know.  I mean, I knew he liked you, but I didn’t know he liked you like  _ that _ ,” Jemma said, her voice easily recognizable by the accent.

 

“I mean, there was that one time that I almost kissed him…” Skye trailed off.

 

This seemed to surprise Jemma, which Ward found strange due to the fact that they seemed to share everything with one another.   
  


“What?!”  Jemma exclaimed.

 

Skye proceeded to explain the events of the day that Ward could remember so vividly.  The small British girl was silent throughout the whole story besides a small gasp when Skye told her about how close the two of them were in that moment.  Skye’s voice grew quiet when she told her best friend about how she had leaned up and Ward had pulled away.  How embarassed she sounded talking about it made Ward feel horrible.

 

He wanted to kiss her.   _ God  _ he wished he had kissed her.  His nervousness got the better of him, but he promised himself that that wouldn’t stop him again.

 

And then adorable, innocent Jemma said something Ward never thought he hear her say.

 

“What the  _ fuck  _ was that idiot thinking pulling away from  _ you _ ?”

 

This made Skye laugh and even Ward had to stifle his giggles.

 

“Where do you think we’ll go?”  Skye asked.

 

“Who knows?” Jemma said.

 

That was right.  Even Ward himself didn’t know where he wanted to take her.

 

“Maybe he’ll take you to the Hub.  You know, that diner in town,” Jemma suggested.

 

“Jemmy.  I live here.  Of course I know what the Hub is.”

 

Ward raised an eyebrow.  Why would Jemma mention a place that Skye had probably known about all her life?

 

_ She knew. _

 

He wasn’t sure how Jemma could know, but Ward suspected that she knew he was listening in.  He was in his room before you could say “Oh shit.”

 

_ The Hub Diner it is _ , he thought.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know the drill. Love you guys.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of SHIELD or any of it's characters, although I wish I owned a monkey...and the Fitz that would come with it

Jemma was kicking ass at Scrabble.  Even when Skye’s dad, Phil, who was the best scrabble player Skye had ever met, jumped into their 3rd game, he got owned.

 

“A-G-O-G. Agog!”  Jemma said happily.

 

“That one’s definitely  _ not  _ a word,” Ward said.

 

Skye, who had had her father’s old gigantic dictionary at hand the whole game proceeded to flip through the pages.  “Agog: highly excited by eagerness, curiosity, anticipation, etc. or in a state of eager desire; excitedly,” she grumbled out disappointedly.

 

Jemma beamed triumphantly.  “Just like how every other word I’ve done ‘definitely isn’t a word’, Ward?”

 

Ward grumbled and Skye thought she could speak for everyone when she said, “I don’t even care who wins, as long as it isn’t you.”

 

Jemma only giggled.

 

“I can see why you said playing this would be a mistake, Skye,” said Ward.

 

“She’s yet to lose,” Phil said.  It was his turn now, and as he placed each letter carefully, Skye got a bad feeling. “S-H-I-E-L-D. Shield.”

 

“Oh my god, dad?  Again?” Skye groaned.

 

“What?” Ward asked quizzically.

 

“Ugh.   _ Every single time  _ we play this game he,” Skye said glaring at her father, ”manages to make the word ‘shield’.  I just don’t get it.”

 

Phil glanced towards Ward with a knowing look and said, “At this point, I’m just doing it to annoy her.”

 

“And it’s working!” Skye yelled throwing up her hands and storming out of the room rather dramatically.

 

Ward placed his own word, “doves”, and stood up saying, “I’m gonna grab a soda.  Yell if it’s my turn.”

 

He proceeded to walk towards the kitchen where he thought Skye ran off to.  The three of them hadn’t talked about the previous day’s morning.  None of them seem to want to disrupt the peace by the change Ward was creating.  As much as he liked the whole “playing Scrabble and constantly getting your butt kicked by a really smart British girl” thing, he wanted to talk to Skye about their date.

 

He found her in the kitchen, or at least, her lower half.  She was humming and wiggling her her hind quarters as she searched through the refrigerator.  Ward could contain his grin.

 

“Uh... Skye?”

 

“Hold on!” Skye said as she tried to get out and managed to hit her head with a loud smack on the top of the fridge.  She winced and got out properly.  She turned to Ward with a Coke in one hand and said, “I guess you’re not the only one who does that.”

 

All Ward let out was a nervous chuckle.  Their silence was awkward at best.

 

“Did you need something?” Skye asked.

 

“Yeah, uh.  I was just wondering if…Only if you want to...Maybe would you…,” Ward stumbled, seemingly not able to form understandable sentences.

 

Skye looked shy and sweet looking up at him as she said, ”Ward, is this about the date?”

 

Ward cleared his throat and finally said what he wanted to say in a steady voice.

 

“Yes.  Skye, will you come to The Hub with me this Friday?”

 

She raised an eyebrow questioningly.  “Where’d you hear about the diner?”

 

“Here and there,”  Ward replied nonchalantly.  “But is that a yes?”

 

As an answer of sorts, Skye placed her left hand on his shoulder, stood on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek.  She plopped back down to the ground with a smirk and went back to the Scrabble game without a word.  Ward could feel the heat on his cheeks from both his blush and where the little brunette firecracker’s lips touched his skin.  The heat spread through his body and he found himself smiling.  She was going to be quite a handful.

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

The week flew by quickly and Friday came out of no where.  Since Ward couldn’t exactly pick up Skye since they lived together, Jemma sent him with a list of groceries to her parents shop.  While he took his time there,  Jemma set to work on Skye.

 

Skye felt very similar to Katniss in the Hunger Games when her stylists prepared her for the cameras.  Jemma plucked and prodded at her continually but she had to be thankful.  By the end of the torment, she really looked quite good.  But what happened as Skye was rubbing the red irritated skin underneath her eyebrows caught her off guard.  Jemma left the room only to return with a little purple shopping bag.

 

“I might’ve bought you something for the occasion…,” she said.

 

“Jemma, no!  You really should’ve!”

 

After some persuading Skye ending up taking the gift.  Inside the bag contained a simple vibrant pink dress ( **a.k.a. the dress from season 1 episode 3 when Skye’s at Quinn’s party** ).  With a gasp Skye pulled it out of the bag and held it up to her body.

 

“Oh, Jemma!  Where did you get this?”

 

“Just a little boutique outside of town.  I saw it a couple weeks ago and bought for you.  I was just waiting for the best time,” Jemma said with a smile.

 

Skye threw her arms around her best friend, so grateful to have her.  “It’s a bit fancy for a diner though, don’t you think?”

 

“Oh please, you’ll look fine!  You’re going to blast him off his feet.  Now go try it on!  I want to see how it looks.”

 

Skye did as she was told and when she walked down to show her father, he actually got a little choked up.  He repeatedly told her how beautiful she’d grown up to be and how proud he was of her.  In Skye’s opinion, it was quite embarrassing.

 

When Ward knocked on the door, his jaw dropped.  He swiftly caught himself though, tossing two bags of groceries towards Jemma and handing her the change.  Before they could leave though, Skye’s dad pulled Ward aside and they were gone for at least ten minutes.  Who knows what was going on in there.

 

/\/\/\/\/\

 

“Uh, Phil, what’s this about?”

 

They were in the kitchen, away from the two girls in the next room.  Ward wasn’t sure what this was about, but he didn’t have a good feeling.

 

Phil let out a heavy sigh.  “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

 

“Sir?” Ward asked.

 

“ _ This _ . You and Skye.  You’re so different.  What if it doesn’t work out?  You live in the same house!”  he paused, and then his eyes widened as if he had just had an epiphany.  “What if it  _ does _ work out?  You live in the same house!”

 

The latter seemed to only worry the father.  He turned to Ward again. “Anyway, just know that if you hurt her in any way, any way at all, I will hunt you down and run you over with Bessie.”

 

In retrospect, it was a horrible idea but Ward could’ve help laughing.  Mr. Coulson seemed so harmless.  But then Ward saw the look in his eye.  The look that said he was deadly serious.

 

“Uh, yes sir.  Of course.”

 

This seemed to satisfy the man and he slapped Ward on the back.  “You two kids have fun.  Be home by 11.”

 

Ward decided it would be safest to be home by 10:30.


	8. Bad news

**I come to you with sad news.  As much as I love writing, as with those of you who read this story, I do have to tell you that I can no longer continue writing this story.  I will continue to write The Truth Serum, but I cannot continue In the Small Town of McKinley.  I began this story when I was on the high of actual success from TTS.  But, as much as I like the idea, there’s not enough idea there.  This story has no real plot, no conflict, and really not enough to keep going on and it’s about time I admit that to myself.**

 

**But more importantly I must admit that to you.**

 

**So I apologize for letting you down, but I think it’s all for the best.  You’ll be seeing me again soon.**

 

**-Chloe a.k.a. the-marvel-unicorn**

 

**P.s. There are more chapters of this story on fanfiction and wattpad, if you still want to read what I've got.**


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